Eidskyrkja
1,483 m
Norway
Also known as KyrkjefjelletAlso known as
Kyrkjefjellet
- Elevation
- 1,483 m
- Prominence
- 1,040 m
- Difficulty
- 1/10
- Easy walk
- Best Season
- Apr–May
- Routes
- 2
Routes
2Showing Ski tour from Skinnviksætra via Blåbreen: the ’s line is approximate.
Sources differ: DNT 'krevende' (red) ski tour (ut.no) · Black (svart fjellski) (morotur.no) · YDS class 2, no exposure (westcoastpeaks.com)
One of the classic spring ski tours of the Sunnmøre Alps: from the summer farm Skinnviksætra above Austefjorden up the north-facing Blåbreen (25°, 30° near the top) to the summit plateau, then 1 km south to the cairn. About 1,100 m of ascent and 4.6–4.8 km one way; ski descent all the way back to the farm, often into June.
About 100% of this line is approximate (no mapped trail; drawn from the terrain). Check it against a map before relying on it.
Why? 4 check notes
- 100% approximate geometry
- low confidence 0.4
- Skinnviksætra → Eidskyrkja: dem (snap_failed, 4.6 km)
- unresolved waypoints: Blåbreen, Kollefjellet col
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 4.6 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,134 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 1,482 m
- Time Up
- 4h 21m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 2h 50m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
From Fyrde at the head of Austefjorden drive about 2.3 km west towards Straumshamn and turn left up the toll road (Skinnvikdalsvegen) to Skinnviksætra. There is parking at a road junction about 250 m before the farm (about 350 m). The road is not ploughed in midwinter, usually opening towards Easter; before then, park at the barrier, which adds about 300 m of ascent and 6 km. Go through the farm area, cross the river on the bridge and climb along the east side of the river (or follow the moraine ridge on the west side, depending on conditions) south-west to about 900 m, aiming for the obvious col by Kollefjellet (1,344 m). From the flat area at the foot of Blåbreen climb the small glacier, about 25° and steepening to about 30° in the top 50 m. Stay in the middle: there may be crevasses on the west side, slides can run from both side slopes, and large cornices often form at the top. At about 1,360 m the plateau is reached; head about 1 km south to the summit cairn. Kollefjellet is an easy 15-minute detour. The descent of about 1,000 m back to the car is the reason for the route's popularity. The summit plateau is hard to navigate in cloud or blowing snow; follow your own ascent tracks.
Start
Skinnviksætra347 m
- No public transport to Skinnviksætra was confirmed; a car is needed for the toll road. Check entur.no for buses along Austefjorden.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Skinnviksætra → Eidskyrkja | 4.6 | 1,134 | 0 | 4h 21m |
Waypoints
- Parking: Skinnviksætra347 m
Spring parking at the road junction below the farm; toll road
- Summit: Eidskyrkja1,483 m
Key Passages
- Bridge above Skinnviksætra
- Blåbreen (25–30°)
- Cornices at the top of Blåbreen
- 1 km across the summit plateau
Equipment
0/6 packedDownloads
Route confidence 40%Overview
The highest mountain in Volda (1,482 m), a broad plateau-topped massif south of Austefjorden with over 1,000 m of prominence. Best known as one of the classic spring ski tours of the Sunnmøre Alps, up the small Blåbreen glacier from Skinnviksætra; in summer an easy, partly pathless hike from Grøndalen.
Eidskyrkja, also called Kyrkjefjellet, rises about 5.5 km south of Austefjorden and the village of Fyrde, at the south-western edge of the Sunnmøre Alps. Unlike the jagged peaks further north, the top is a large, gently domed plateau above about 1,300 m, bounded by cliffs on the south side and by the small north-facing glacier Blåbreen. The neighbouring tops of the massif are Kollefjellet (1,344 m), Litle-Eidskyrkja (1,243 m), Tårnet (about 1,310 m, an exposed scramble and said to be the hardest summit in Volda) and Middagshornet.
The mountain is above all a ski tour. From Skinnviksætra the north side gives about 1,000 m of moderate (25–30°) skiing all the way back to the car and holds snow well into June, which makes it one of the busiest spring tours in the area. The summer ascent from Grøndalen in the south is a straightforward walk on a path to Fantekrålvatnet and pathless but easy slopes above it.
The main difficulty is navigation. The summit plateau is featureless and frequently in cloud or strong wind, and the guidebook Skiturar i Sunnmørsalpane warns of orientation problems on the top. On a clear day the view takes in the Nordfjord mountains, the Sunnmøre Alps and peaks as far as Skåla and Lodalskåpa.
Climbing Notes
In summer this is a fit walker's day: about 1,020 m of ascent from Grøndalsstølen, path to Fantekrålvatnet and easy pathless ground above. Carry map and compass or a GPS track and turn back if cloud closes in on the plateau.
As a ski tour from Skinnviksætra it needs avalanche equipment and judgement: the main slope is about 25° (30° near the top), slides can run from the side slopes, cornices form at the top of Blåbreen and there may be crevasses on the west side of the glacier; stay in the middle. The access road is usually ploughed towards Easter; check before driving. April and May are the classic months; the north side is often skiable into June.
Typical itineraries: a half day on skis from Skinnviksætra (about 3–4 hours up), or a traverse from Grøndalen over the summit and down Blåbreen to Skinnviksætra with two cars.
History
According to K. Randers' guidebook Sunnmøre, the high point is properly called Kyrkjefjellet, and the name Eidskyrkja originally referred to point 1,368 m about 1.3 km to the north; modern maps use Eidskyrkja for the summit. No first-ascent record was found.
Season
Best Apr–May- January: Possible
- February: Possible
- March: Good
- April: Best (best window)
- May: Best (best window)
- June: Good
- July: Good
- August: Best
- September: Good
- October: Possible
- November: Not advisable
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Ski touring; short days, access roads not ploughed
- Feb
- Ski touring from Grøndalen; Skinnviksætra road usually not yet ploughed
- Mar
- Ski touring; road to Skinnviksætra normally ploughed towards Easter
- Apr
- Classic spring ski-tour season; check avalanche forecast
- May
- Spring skiing on the north side
- Jun
- Skiing on Blåbreen often possible; snow lingers on the hiking route
- Jul
- Summer hike from Grøndalen
- Aug
- Summer hike from Grøndalen; least snow
- Oct
- Early snow possible on the plateau
Access & Permits
- Fees
- Toll road to Skinnviksætra (Skinnvikdalsvegen), paid on site (NOK 30 per car in 2009; current price not confirmed)
- Small toll road to Grøndalsstølen
- Rules
- Right of access (allemannsretten) applies; respect grazing animals and the summer farms
- Getting There
Volda
Ørsta-Volda Hovden (HOV); Ålesund Vigra (AES)
- Car to Skinnviksætra: E39 to Fyrde at the head of Austefjorden, then about 2.3 km west towards Straumshamn and left up the toll road to the farm (about 350–400 m)
- Car to Grøndalen: the road between Hornindal (Grodås) and Austefjorden passes Grøndalsvatnet; park by the toll road just after the river crossing and walk or drive about 1 km to Grøndalsstølen
- No practical public transport to either trailhead was found
Hazards
- Avalanche
- Weather
- Cornices
- Glacier
- Crevasses